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Math degrees are becoming less accessible—and this is a problem for business, government and innovation

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2024-05-05 23:00:06

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

There's a strange trend in mathematics education in England. Math is the most popular subject at A-level since overtaking English in 2014. It's taken by around 85,000 and 90,000 students a year.

But many universities—particularly lower-tariff institutions, which accept students with lower A-level grades—are recruiting far fewer students for math degrees. There's been a 50% drop in numbers of math students at the lowest tariff universities over the five years between 2017 and 2021. As a result, some universities are struggling to keep their mathematics departments open.

The total number of students studying math has remained largely static over the last decade. Prestigious Russell Group universities which require top A-level grades have increased their numbers of math students.